READING FC manager is backing a referral-style system giving football managers powers to question debatable decisions, writes Anthony Smith.

Royals boss believes managers should be able to invite referees to review contentious incidents that may have been missed first time round.

McDermott's spoke out in the wake of last weekend's Premier League clash between Leicester City and Southampton, where Foxes defender Danny Simpson appeared to handle Saido Mane's shot on his own goalline.

But referee Michael Oliver waved play on and Leicester won the match 1-0 at King Power Stadium to edge closer to the Premier League title.

McDermott said: “I think managers should have two calls in a game, one in each half.

“You shouldn't have replays or anything like that, but you can make an instant call if it's a big decision where the referee needs to look at something, be it handball or penalty.

“I think that maybe that could be applied.”

He added: “I looked at the Leicester one and yes, it was handball.

“There was one we wrote in about from out match against Cardiff recently. We got a reply to say yes, it was probably a handball.

“But [reaching a decision] afterwards is too late.

“However, that's what football is about. People make mistakes.”

McDermott also believes interpreting the laws on handball is not easy for referees.

“I think it's really difficult to describe what a handball is,” he stated.

“The one in the Leicester game was pretty obvious, had the referee seen it. He [Simpson] moved his arm towards the ball.

"If you move your arm towards a ball to stop it going somewhere and if your arms are in an unnatural position, it's handball.

“But it's a difficult one to call for a referee or linesman. They don't get it wrong deliberately, they do a difficult job.”

Reading will be aiming for a third successive Championship victory when they host Birmingham City at Madejski Stadium this Saturday (3pm ko).

McDermott's men followed up their 1-0 win at 10-man Bolton last weekend with a 2-1 home victory against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night – the first time Reading had come from behind to win in the league in 17 months.

And Royals boss is clearly delighted with the progress his players are making.

“It's frustrating for the players because we haven't scored the goals our performances deserved,” he argued.

“But it's great we've shown such resilience. We go 1-0 down against Nottingham Forest and you're thinking 'how has that happened, we've just murdered them.' Having said that we kept believing and we turned it around.

“We showed the same level of belief at Bolton on Saturday when we kept going and scored a wonderful goal.

“That's Championship football, they are all tight games. Since I've been back every game has been like that.

“But it's encouraging to see us create so many chances. If we weren't I'd be worried.”

McDermott now wants to see Reading give their all over the final seven games of the season.

“We want to put on a performance for the fans,” he stressed. “That's what we're there for, we play for them.

“We want to give them as much excitement and good football as we can and win as many games as we can with a view to going into the summer with a good run of results.”

Nevertheless, McDermott expects a tough contest against Gary Rowett's Blues, who beat Royals 2-1 at St Andrew's on the opening day of the season.

“Their manager has done a fantastic job, I have a lot of time for Gary,” he said. “They've had a lot of problems and got themselves into a bit of a mess, but Gary has done a fabulous job.

“He got them right up there amongst the play-offs and you have to give them a lot of credit.

“There are many big clubs in this division and they are one of them.”